


Aftermath

by marbie20



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Fluff with some angst, Multi, happy ending I promise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-10
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-24 16:00:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15633978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marbie20/pseuds/marbie20
Summary: It's been three weeks since Jeremy left the hospital after the SQUIP incident. Now he has to deal with the repercussions, including talking to his best friend, and now crush, Michael.





	1. Chapter 1

It had been three weeks since Jeremy and Rich had gotten out of the hospital after the whole SQUIP incident. Everyone was still a little on edge, especially Jeremy. He felt awful, like he couldn’t talk to anyone. He felt that this whole mess was his fault.

Jeremy was sitting outside of school on a bench when Brooke came to sit next to him. He looked at her curiously.

“Brooke? Uh, hi,” he stammered.

She smiled at him. “Hey, Jeremy. Just wanted to see how you were doing. I know it’s been a rough couple of weeks.”

Jeremy looked down. “Uh, I’m okay.”

She placed a hand on her shoulder. “I know you’re not. I can see right through you.”

He looked up at her. “Brooke…why are you being nice to me?”

She chuckled softly. “Jeremy, I realized after the whole SQUIP thing, that even though I don’t like you as a boyfriend, I appreciate you as a friend. I think you’re really cool, that’s all.”

Jeremy gave a small smile. “Thanks, Brooke. I needed to hear that.” He sighed and looked down again. “If only I could patch things up with Michael.”

She leaned her head on his shoulder. “It’ll be okay. You guys have been best friends since the beginning of time.”

Brooke felt Jeremy’s breath hitch. She turned to look at him and noticed a wetness on his cheeks. “Jere…are you…crying?”

A sniffle from Jeremy was her confirmation. Her shoulders slumped as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He nuzzled his head in her shoulder, sobs shaking his body. She just rubbed his back until his sobs died down to just sniffles.

“I just…” he started.

“Shh,” Brooke cooed, “take your time.”

“W-we’ve been b-best f-friends for s-so l-long and I…” Another sob sent a shudder through his body. “I r-ruined it…all for p-popularity.”

Brooke sighed into his hair. “Jeremy, I can’t really say I understand what you’re going through, but I can relate.”

He sniffled and moved to look at her. “Y-you can?”

She nodded and smiled. “After the Halloween party, Chloe and I had a fight, over you.” She paused and chuckled at Jeremy’s expression. “I was so mad at her because she made out with you when I thought that you and I were dating. I thought that she was better than that. And I couldn’t believe she would hurt me like that.” She sighed. “Years of friendship felt like nothing. I felt used and abused.” She blinked away tears. “But then we talked it out and I found out something interesting.”

Jeremy tilted his head. “What?”

Brooke’s shoulder raised as she grinned. “Chloe only made out with you because she was jealous. She was jealous that I was with you…and not her.”

Jeremy’s eyes widened. “WHAT?”

Brooke chuckled. “Yeah, turns out she’s liked me for a while but was insecure about it and couldn’t tell me. So when she saw that I was with you, she lashed out. But she realizes now that she was wrong. And now…we’re kind of dating.”

Jeremy couldn’t stifle his laugh. “You and Chloe? Wow, did not see that coming.” He sighed. “But I can understand that.”

Brooke rubbed his shoulder. “What do you mean?”

Jeremy took a shuddering breath. “I think I…like Michael…more than a friend? I mean, he’s my best friend but I feel like I want more, you know? I don’t know.”

Brooke only smiled. “It’s okay to be confused. I know I was when Chloe told me. I was even furious with her for a while until I realized that Chloe was in just as much pain as me.”

Jeremy sighed. “Yeah…I only wish I could talk to Michael. He says we’re okay but…there’s still this tension in the air, you know? I mean, I know it’s my fault. I caused all of this…” Jeremy felt a sob coming back up again.

Brooke saw his pain and just hugged him. “If you want, I could talk to him for you?”

Jeremy sniffed. “No, it’s okay. I’ll do it.” He smiled at her. “Thank you, Brooke. You’re a really good friend.”

She smirked, her nose scrunching up. “I know.”

She winked at him before skipping away. Jeremy chuckled as she left. Now if only he had the confidence she did to talk to Michael. This was going to be harder than he thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael gets lectured from Rich and Brooke.

Michael was sitting in the cafeteria by himself during lunch. He hadn’t see Jeremy all day, and honestly, didn’t plan to. He did forgive Jeremy, but he still had some issues he need to work out on his own. And seeing Jeremy just brought up some repressed emotions.

As he was contemplating what to do next, Rich sat across him. Michael glanced at him curiously.

“Rich?”

Rich chuckled. “I know what this may look like, but I’m not here to start any trouble, promise.”

Michael breathed a sigh of relief. “Now that that’s out of the way, what can I do for you?”

Rich pointed his fork at him. “More like, what can I do for _you_?”

Michael’s face contorted into an expression of confusion and disbelief. Rich just laughed. “I know I know, weird, right?” He sighed, his expression darkening. “But I’m serious. Look, I know that the past few weeks have been…difficult. I went through the same thing as Jeremy. I know what the SQUIP can do to you.”

Michael gave an exasperated sigh. “Look, if you’re here to lecture me—"

Rich shook his head. “Nah, man, that’s not what I was going to say.” He paused to make sure Michael was listening. “Look, I know what Jeremy did to you was awful. We all saw it. We all know. Everyone who was involved knew. But you have to understand something: Jeremy was in constant pain.”

Michael tilted his head questioningly. “What do you mean? He chose to be that way! How was he in pain?”

Rich tried to calm him down. “The SQUIP wasn’t all fun and games like I made it out to be, I promise. I know for me, it started to take complete control over my life. It would…” Rich winced at the memory. “It would…torture me. And I can still hear its voice in my head sometimes, silently watching. I don’t know exactly what Jeremy went through, but I know it wasn’t good. All I’m saying is, no, he wasn’t in the right, but it wasn’t all his fault. And I think you should give him a chance.”

Michael’s eyes darkened. “Why? Give me one good reason.”

Rich only smiled. “Because you’re a good person, Michael Mell.” He winked at Michael. “And also, because if Jake can forgive me, and even like me enough to…” he giggled, “I can’t believe I’m saying this. If he can like me enough to date me, then maybe forgiving Jeremy would be the right thing to do. That’s all.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “You and Jake?”

Rich threw his arms in the air. “I don’t know, man. Things just happened, and now we’re dating.”

Michael gave a small smile. “Well I’m happy for you.”

Rich reached over and patted Michael’s hand. “And if it’s any consolation, I’m always here to talk.”

Michael looked into Rich’s eyes and saw that they were honest. “Thanks, Rich, that…that actually means a lot.”

Rich winked at him again before leaving to go join Jake at his table. Michael set his head on the table. He had a lot to process. He really wanted things to go back to normal with Jeremy but it was so hard to even think like that. He just really needed a slushie right now.

Michael stood up to go to the 7-11 next door when he saw Brooke come waltzing into the cafeteria. She spotted Michael and her eyes lit up. She said something to Chloe and then came over to Michael. He sat back down at the table and she sat across from him.

“Hey, Michael!”

He was severely confused. Since when did the popular kids start talking to him? First Rich, and now Brooke? “Uh, hi, Brooke. Can I help you?”

She smiled at him. “I just wanted to come talk to you. That alright?”

Michael blinked a few times. “Um, sure…?”

Brooke clapped her hands together. “Great! So, how have you been since…you know?”

Michael sighed, running his hand through his hair. “It’s been…rough. I actually just talked to Rich a little about it.”

She glanced over her shoulder and waved at Rich. She turned back to Michael. “Yeah, he’s cool. How rough has it been?”

Michael didn’t feel entirely comfortable talking to her. “Um, I mean, I haven’t really talked to Jeremy that much since he left the hospital and that’s been hard.” He realized he couldn’t deny his emotions. “Brooke, I miss him. I really miss him. But I’m still so…” He felt his fists clenching and consciously unclenched them. “I forgive him, I do, but I can’t pretend like things are normal, you know?”

Her expression became serious, unlike the usual bubbliness that is Brooke Lohst. “I get it. You were traumatized. I was a little too, and for a while there, I felt like I couldn’t talk to my best friend.”

Michael furrowed his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

Brooke looked down and chuckled softly. “You see, at the Halloween party, Chloe seduced Jeremy and made out with him even though she knew I was with him. Turns out that Chloe just was dealing with her feelings for me. And now we’re dating.”

Michael was dumbstruck. “First Jake and Rich, now you and Chloe? Who’s next?”

Brooke giggled. “I know, weird right? Anyway, I just wanted to say that I get it. But you should give Jeremy a chance to tell his side of the story.”

Michael rolled his eyes. “Did you and Rich have a conference before school because he literally just told me the same thing?”

Brooke just smiled. “We all just want you and Jeremy to make up. It’s painful to watch really.”

Michael felt a strange sense of anger. “Why do you care? Why does anyone care? It’s not like we were friends before all of this.”

Brooke flinched at his tone of voice. “Michael…” She sighed and then started again. “It may not seem like it, but Jeremy and I spent a good amount of time together. And I realized that he’s a really good friend and I want to hang out with him more. We’ve all realized this. And we know that you and Jeremy are best friends and…” she swallowed. “I know, for me, it kills me when I see one of my friends in pain. And Jeremy is my friend. And hopefully, you can be too…if you want.”

Michael looked at her, his face softening. “Who’s…we?”

Brooke gave a small smile. “Well me, Chloe, Jake, Rich, Jenna, and Christine. I feel like we’ve gotten a little closer since the play. I don’t know, I thought you felt it too…” She looked down and bit her lip. “Uh, maybe I should just go.”

Michael grabbed her hand. “Wait, don’t go.”

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and honest. Michael dipped his head. “This is all just so weird for me. Having more than one friend, you know? And being friends with the people who used to tease and mock me.” When he noticed that Brooke still looked hurt, he gave a small smile. “But I’m open to it. You and Rich have definitely proved that you want to be friends and I’d…I’d like that.”

Brooke’s eyes lit up as she smiled. “Great!” She looked back at her table. “Do you, um, want to join us?”

Michael looked at the table and was about to say yes, when he realized something. “I would love to, but I have to do something first.”

He pecked a small kiss on her cheek before rushing out of the cafeteria. He had to find Jeremy.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael and Jeremy finally talk it out

Jeremy debated leaving school and just going home. After his talk with Brooke, he was emotionally drained. And he was pretty sure Michael didn’t want to see him, so why try. He sniffled and wiped his tears. He took a deep breath and stood up. He was going home. There was no reason to be here. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do about Michael. He had Brooke and the others as “friends”, but they weren’t Michael.

Jeremy rubbed his eyes with his palms and sighed. Nobody would really even realize if he didn’t show up for school tomorrow, right? Or the next day…or the next…or ever…

As he was walking away from school, he heard someone shout his name. He slowly turned and saw Michael running towards him.

“Michael?” Gosh he hated his voice. It was all raspy from crying.

Michael stopped in front of him. “Jeremy, I’m glad I found you.”

Jeremy took a small step back. “You…you were looking for me?” He looked down and rubbed his arm nervously. “I thought you didn’t want to see me,” he muttered quietly.

Michael sighed and took Jeremy’s hands. Jeremy looked at him with surprise. “Look, Jere, I know that we’ve gone through some stuff these past few weeks, but I want you to know that I’ll always be there for you. We’re best friends. And that will never change.”

Jeremy felt tears welling up. His heart was pounding in his chest and he felt like he couldn’t breathe. Michael noticed his anxiousness.

“Jere? Jeremy?”

Jeremy nodded slowly and sat back down on the bench. Michael sat next to him. “Jeremy? Are you okay?”

Jeremy looked at him. “I just…” He sniffled, trying to hide the tears threatening to fall down his face. “I didn’t think you would notice if I was gone. After all I did to you.”

Michael felt his body go slack. “Jeremy…what? No, don’t think like that!”

Jeremy tried to stop the tears from falling. “I didn’t think I deserved to be your friend again. I ruined everything!”

Sobs sent shudders down his body and he covered his face with his hands, trying to control the tears falling down his face. Michael watched as his best friend fell apart in front of him and he was at a loss for words. Rich was right. He’s in so much pain right now. Michael took Jeremy’s hands in his.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay.”

Jeremy sniffled and looked up at him. “I’m s-so s-sorry, Michael. For e-everything.”

Michael wiped away his tears with his thumb. “It’s okay, Jeremy, I forgive you.” He paused, deciding his next set of words. “I talked with Rich and Brooke and—"

Jeremy’s eyes flared. “Brooke? What did she tell you?”

Michael chuckled and patted his hand. “Hey, it’s okay. She didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know deep down.” He swallowed. “Anyway, after talking with them, I realized that I wasn’t the only one in pain. Rich told me that his SQUIP tortured him…did yours…?”

Jeremy looked down, too ashamed to answer. Michael lifted his chin. “Jere?”

Jeremy squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to freak out over a memory. “It would…electrocute me anytime I did something it didn’t like.”

Michael’s hand tightened around Jeremy’s chin. “WHAT?”

Jeremy flinched and Michael calmed down. “I’m so sorry, Jeremy. That must have been awful,” he said quietly.

Jeremy rubbed his arm. “Um, it also took control of my body. It would stop me from seeing things and it activated reflexes and movements.” He looked at Michael. “I literally could not see you.”

Michael ran his thumb over Jeremy’s hand. “Oh, Jere…”

Jeremy swallowed. “It was my own fault anyway. So in a way, I deserved it. I deserved to die.”

Michael sat in shock, reeling from what his best friend had just said. He suddenly threw his arms around Jeremy, pulling him into a tight hug.

“Jeremy, don’t you ever think that. You deserve to live. You are one of the kindest people I have ever met, and I know you are meant for amazing things. I love you so much. You’re my best friend, Jeremy.”

Jeremy buried his head in Michael’s shoulder, the sobs coming out again. Michael held him as Jeremy cried, trying to calm him down. After a while, Jeremy calmed down and pulled away to look at Michael. He sniffed and said, “So, what did Brooke say?”

Michael chuckled. “She told me she realized that you were a great friend, and it hurt her to see a friend in pain. She said she wants me to join the friend group, I guess?”

Jeremy smiled. “More like, they join us.”

Michael laughed and nudged him. “Yeah, you’re right, Jere.”

Jeremy chuckled softly and then paused. “Hey, Michael, can I tell you something?”

Michael nodded. “Yeah, Jere, anything.”

Jeremy swallowed back his fear. “After the incident, I realized something.” He looked into Michael’s eyes. “I like you. A lot. Like more than a friend. And I don’t know if you feel the same way but—"

Michael interrupted him by pressing his lips to Jeremy’s. Jeremy was caught off guard, but leaned into the kiss, savoring every moment. Michael pulled back, smiling at Jeremy.

“Jeremy, I have liked you for the longest time. I’m so glad you like me back.”

Jeremy smiled. “I just want us to be together. I know we probably still have some stuff to work through…”

Michael caressed Jeremy’s cheek. “None of that matters anymore. We’re together. And hey, we made some new friends, right?”

Jeremy chuckled. “Yeah, they’re really pretty great.” He leaned in closer to Michael. “Just wait until we tell them we’re together. They’ll flip out.”

Michael smiled, tracing Jeremy’s face with his finger, memorizing every line and crevice. Jeremy kissed Michael’s forehead and Michael pulled him in for a hug.

“What do you say we go back in there and start hanging out with our new friends, huh?”

Jeremy nodded. “Definitely.”

They walked hand in hand back inside to join their friends. As long as they were together, everything would be okay.


End file.
